Tuesday, 24 July 2001 01:00

A three-year long operation to clear the Holy Loch, in Cowal, of material left behind by the US Navy has been concluded. Some 2,700 tonnes of material has been recovered from the seabed, including two sets of human bones. Argyll and Bute Council set the wheels in motion when in 1996 it asked the Ministry of Defence to remove the waste. Chair of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee Councillor Dick Walsh said, “At that time we felt that the removal of the waste would open up the loch for any future development. In addition, we were aware of misgivings and concerns about the potential impact on the environment. As a result the Council established the Holy Loch Forum, bringing together the Ministry of Defence, SEPA and environmental consultants to decide on how best to tackle the work.

“The work to clear the loch took place in four stages over three years. The Council carried out its own environmental monitoring in parallel with that done by the MoD and its salvage contractors. As part of the Forum’s commitment to keeping people informed the findings of the monitoring work undertaken before, during and after the seabed clearance work was made public..



“Now the seabed of the Holy Loch is clear of the majority of the debris, and the whole area has been examined using underwater video equipment to confirm that it is clean. It is clear enough to be handed over to Clydeports plc in spring next year after which current restrictions will be removed and it will be used again for leisure purposes including sports, recreation and fishing.



“The Council feels it made the right decision five years ago to set this clearance operation in motion, and it is a tribute to the close partnership working of the members of the Holy Loch Forum that this work has been carried out efficiently and with minimum effect on the environment.”

NOTES

· The US Navy left the Holy Loch in 1992 after being in situ for 30 years providing an offshore submarine tendering service

· Survey work done in 1996 revealed that there was a lot of material lying on the seabed at or near where the dry dock and supply sites had been situated

· The work to clear the Holy Loch was undertaken in February 1998 (for two months), in November 1998 (for five months), in October 1999 (for six months), and again in October 2000 (concluding in February 2001)

· Recovery was carried out by a large crane mounted on a barge on the bed of the loch. Rubbish was lifted using a combination of mechanical grab and electro-magnet

· 2,700 tonnes of material was recovered – 1,988 tonnes were recycled, and 706 tonnes were disposed of in landfill

· material recovered included scaffolding, pipes, hoses, gas cylinders, pieces of wooden piles, concrete, steel, 30 identity cards of US servicemen and two sets of human bones